Orthodontic instrument for correcting the bite of natural teeth



March 27, 1956 2,739,383

B. MATZEN ORTHODONTIC INSTRUMENT FOR CORRECTING THE BITE OF NATURAL TEETH Filed March 24, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l nth" IN V EN TOR.

5e/e/vAe0. M4725 March 27, 1956 B. MATZEN 2,739,383

ORTHODONTIC INSTRUMENT FOR CORRECTING THE BITE OF NATURAL TEETH Filed March 24, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l 34 52 54 9 [24 LJiIH w r mum g 26 fig J INVENTOR. fise/vgeo M47325 y mpmm wm United States Patent O i ORTHODONTIC INSTRUMENT FOR CORRECTING THE BITE OF NATURAL TEETH Bernard Matzen, Napa, Calif.

Application March 24, 1953, Serial No. 344,411

3 Claims. (Cl. 32l4) This invention relates to an orthodontic instrument for correcting the bite of natural teeth and stimulating bone growth and development in the jaw bones in which the teeth are anchored.

In prior efforts to correct the bite of natural teeth it has been customary to employ clamps for engaging the teeth and forcing of them into a desired position. The wearing of such clamps adds to the discomfort of the user and furthermore such clamps produce ledges in which particles of food collect with the result that they present problems in sanitation.

Applicant has discovered that the bite of misaligned mating teeth can be corrected without the use of instruments which must remain in the mouth for any great period of time, and further that by employing his method of correction a stimulation of bone development and growth in the jaw bones of the teeth to be corrected will result.

The primary object of this invention is to correct the bite of natural teeth and to stimulate the bone growth and development of the jaw bones carrying the teeth being treated.

Another object is to facilitate the conduct of the corrective measures so that they may be carried forward in the home in accordance with the instructions of an orthodontist or dentist who may be familiar with this type of treatment.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features while advancing mating upper and lower teeth toward one another, exerting inward pressure on one of the teeth and outward pressure on the mating tooth.

Other features include an instrument comprising a handle, and an anvil carried by the handle adjacent one end thereof for insertion between selected upper and lower mating teeth to exert diagonal pressure on said teeth as they are advanced toward one another.

Still other features include a cushion carried by the anvil for protecting the teeth engaging said anvil from injury thereby, longitudinally spaced transverse ribs carried by a cushion and extending outwardly therefrom on opposite sides of the anvil, and a hand grip carried by the handle for supporting the anvil between mating teeth to be treated.

In the drawings:

Figure l is an edge view showing the instrument in use;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the instrument, a portion of the covering being broken away more clearly to illustrate the structure of the instrument;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal sectional view through the instrumnt;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a modified form of the invention;

2,739,383 Patented Mar. 27, 1956 Figure 7 is a perspective view of the modified form of the invention;

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line 99 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is an enlarged edge view of the instrument illustrated in Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings in detail, this improved instrument comprises an elongated body 10 having rounded ends as will be readily understood upon reference to Figure 2. The body 10 is formed adjacent opposite ends and on opposite faces with transversely concave recesses 12 and 14, the ends of which remote from the main body portion are curved outwardly to define curved ribs or ridges 16 which merge into opposite sides of the concave recesses 14. In the preferred form of the invention the body 10 is provided adjacent opposite ends with the concave recesses 14 though it is to be understood that if so desired the recesses 14 may be formed adjacent only one end of the body. This body 10 is formed of a relatively stilf material such as metal and the external surface of the body between the concavities 14 is diagonally scored as suggested in Figure 2 to form a roughened surface to which a coating 18 preferably of rubber firmly adheres.

As illustrated in Figure 2, the coating 18 extends in closely adhesive relation through the recesses 14 to form depressions 20 adjacent opposite ends of the instrument and formed integral with the coating 18 and extending transversely across the depressions in longitudinally spaced relation are ribs 22. The rubber coating following the contour of the depressions 14 forms a cushion which when the device is in use serves to prevent injury to the teeth or the enamel thereof and also adds to the comfort of the user, and the portion of the coating 18 which lies between the depressions or cushions 20 forms a grip which is adapted to be grasped in the hand of the user and employed as suggested in Figure 1 during the treatment being administered to the patient.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figures 6 through 10 inclusive, the instrument designated generally 24 comprises a shank 26 which is preferably formed of a strip of metal or the like and carries in one end a T-shaped head 28 having opposite side faces knurled as at 30 to provide a grip by means of which the instrument may be securely held in the hand and manipulated as suggested in Figure 6 to straighten the teeth. Carried by and extending laterally from the end of the shank 26 remote from the grip or head 28 is a laterally extending arm 32 which as illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 is provided with oppositely disposed concave surfaces 34 and is covered with a suitable cushion 36 which may be in the form of a rubber coating which adheres closely to the concave surfaces of the arm and like the cushion previously described is provided with longitudinally spaced transversely extending ribs 38.

In use the instrument illustrated in Figure l is primarily designed for straightening the anterior or front teeth and being held in the hand, it is inserted in the mouth of the patient so that the teeth engage opposite sides of the cushions 20 and are secured against longitudinal movement on the instrument by the ribs 22. Upon moving the jaws to advance the teeth toward one another, the teeth will contact the cushions 20 and by employing a prying motion or moving the handle portion 18 of the implement downwardly, as illustrated in Figure 1, it is obvious that by the biting effort and the inward and outward pressure on the teeth, the teeth will be gradually brought into proper biting relation. It is, of course, not contemplated that a straightening of the teeth can be accomplished in a single operation but through alternate movement of the jaws into an out of biting relationship,

with the instrument held obliquely to the horizontal, it will beevident that outward efiort will be exerted ontheupper tooth as shown in Figure 1 while inward eifort is exerted on the lower tooth and by repeated exercise, the teethwill be-brought into properbiting-relation; and: the growth and development of the tooth arches and bones of the mouth will take place.

In employing the instrument illustrated in Figures 6- through it) inclusive; the instrument is: grasped; as-illustrated in Figure 6; and the cushion 36- placed between mating posterior teethandheld: diagonally thereto so that upon advancing the mating teethtoward one another pressure will be exerteddiagonally inadirection to correct the bite. By employing the instruments as levers-assuggested in the dotted lines in Figure 1*, it is evident-that up to three misaligned teeth can be treatedsimultaneously and when these instruments are used in conjunction with full orthodonticappliances assistance of immeasurable value can be obtained;

What isclaimed is:

1'. An instrumentofthe class describedcomprising a generally fiat, substantially inflexible strip elongated." topermit grasping of one end thereof as ahandle-for rocking the strip upwardly and downwardly when the other end is clamped by and between theteethof a person;

and a resilient coating on saidother end of" the stripfor preventing surface damage to said teeth when the strip is clampedtherebetween, saidcoating being of a thickness kept substantially to the-minimum necessary for preventing said surface damage, said other end of the strip having transversely concaved opposite faces engaged by the teeth, that-portion of said coating overling-said faces being concaved in conformity with said faces.

2. An instrument of the class described comprising a generally fiat, substantially inflexible strip elongated" to permit grasping of one end thereof as'ahandle for rocking the strip upwardly and downwardly when the other end is clamped-by and between the teeth of a person; and

a resilient coating on said other end of the strip for preventingsurface damage to saidteethwhen the strip is clamped therebetween, said coating being of a thickness kept substantially to the minimum necessary for preventing said surface damage, said other end of the strip having transversely concaved opposite faces engaged by the teeth, that portion of said coating overlying said faces veing concaved in conformity'with said faces, said coatingbeing; formed with; ribs extending; transversely of and within the concavities, the ribs having their crests lying in the plane of the outer surface of the coating.

3. An instrument of the class described comprising a generally. flat; substantially inflexible; strip elongated to permit grasping of one end thereof as a handle for rocking the strip upwardly and downwardly when the other end is clamped by and between the teeth of a person; and a resilient coating on said other end of the strip for preventing surface damage to said teeth when the strip is clamped therebetween; said strip including astraight shank formi'ngthemain' body oi? the strip; a cross-head on said-one end'ofthe shank projecting laterally in opposite directions from the shank to provide said handle, and an arm projectinglaterally-of the shank in one direction at said" other end of' the strip, said coating covering said References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 ,618,189 Hansen Feb. 22, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS 573,39-l France Mar. 8, 1924 OTHER REFERENCESv Fisk, G. Vernon: Incipient Class III Malocclusion," page 527; American Journalot Orthodontics &- Oral Surger-y; June 198 9 (Copy in Scientific Library.) 

